Online Locator Tool Aims to Make Recycling Easier

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is collecting data on recyclables in each county with the goal to make recycling more accessible statewide.

The information collected by the Illinois EPA will be used to create an online locator tool.

Listen

Listening...

/

1:11

Director Alec Messina says with this information residents will be able to easily identify where they can recycle a wide variety of items closest to them. “We’re actually going to take all this information. It’s going to be where they’re located and what they collect and then if you want to dispose of an old T.V. or old oil-based paint that you have laying around in your house or apartment, you’re going to be able to go onto our website and look specifically for what you need and we’re going to be able to show you, on a map, how close it is from where you’re at.”

In an online survey, counties are expected to include the type of collections available, such as curbside pickup or drop-off locations, as well as any fees that may be required.

“Certainly we want to make sure that if someone’s interested that they have the opportunity to take advantage of one of these programs and right now, they may not be," Messina says. "We just need to know what’s out there so we can make informed decisions.”